If you've ever considered bicycling in the former Soviet Union, here's a story that may stir you to action.

During 2006, brothers Mike and Bert Vermeulen bicycled 1,600 miles through Ukraine and Southern Russia. Their self-supported trip started at the Hungarian border and ended at the Volga River. Although the Vermeulen brothers brought camping gear, they ended up sleeping indoors each night - mostly in hotels. One night, they stayed with a young man they just met at a bus stop.

What did they ride? Bert cycled the five week trip on a Dahon folding bicycle. Mike had a Trek 520. Roads were rough at times, though in principle, paved.

Apparently, Russians and Ukrainians were very hospitable and somewhat curious about the trip. According to Mike, "where you from?" in Russian was frequently heard. The wedding photo shown here was taken one Saturday afternoon when a bridal party passed Bert and Mike, stopped, then invited the cyclists to join in toasting the new bride and groom. Knowing some Russian definitely helped, though smiles are universal.

Tourism to Ukraine is likely to increase in the next years as the country revised its visa requirements in 2005. Citizens of US, Canada and EU no longer need visas to visit Ukraine as tourists. New hotels are being built and cities such as Lviv are busy with renovations. Next few years may be a good time to visit Ukraine before other tourists discover it.

Thanks Mike for the great heads up on your bike tour. Russia & Ukraine sound like fascinating places to visit.

For more information about Mike's trip, visit his bike tour web journal at bikerussia.com/2006/